1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to devices intended to return a basketball to the shooter and, more particularly, to those devices which will return the basketball to the location on the basketball court from which the basketball was shot.
2. Prior Art
With the increased popularity of the game of basketball, it has been recognized that the proficiency of one shooting a basketball is increased through repetitive practice. The basic object of the game of basketball is to shoot the ball through an annular hoop or rim and the inverted, truncated conical net which is suspended therefrom. It is an accepted axiom that a basketball player will become more adept at successfully shooting a basketball through repetitive shooting practice.
The prior art discloses a number of devices which have been intended to facilitate the return of a basketball to the shooter in order to permit efficient and repetitive shooting practice. In the absence of a return device, a basketball passing through a basketball rim or hoop can bounce in substantially any direction upon striking the ground or playing surface. This is particularly true where a conventional conical net is suspended from the hoop. The lower terminus of the net has a diameter which is less than the diameter of the basketball. As a result, as the basketball passes through the net it will be temporarily suspended and therefore deflected in a direction which is influenced by the tension in the net, the direction from which the basketball was shot, the angle at which the basketball passes through the hoop relative to the playing surface, etc. The one fact commonly accepted by all basketball players is that he or she will generally be required to retrieve a successfully shot ball before the next shot may be taken.
The prior art discloses many devices which attempt to return a basketball to the shooter after a successful shot (i.e., a ball passing through the basketball hoop) has been made. U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,090 discloses a basketball return device in which a circular mounting ring is attached to the basketball net. A curved track is attached below the mounting ring to direct the basketball toward the shooter. In order for the shooter to change position and allow the ball to be returned to the new location, the positioning of the mounting ring relative to the basketball hoop must be changed accordingly. The inadequacies in this device are obvious. In order to meet the primary objective of any basketball return device, the shooter must be able to repetitively shoot from different positions and have the ball returned irrespective of where the ball has been shot from. In this case, the most glaring deficiency is in the manner in which the mounting ring is coupled to the basketball net or hoop. Each time the shooter changes position, the position of the mounting ring must be physically changed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,052 discloses a device in which a flat mounting plate is secured between the basketball backboard and the mounting bracket which secures the basketball hoop. The mounting plate extends into a downwardly extending forwardly inclined basketball deflector, the dimensions and orientation of which are specifically defined. Though extending directly beneath the basketball net, it specifically does not extend in any lateral or forward direction to the vicinity beneath the basketball hoop. The inadequacies in this device are inherent in its limitations. By being secured directly between the basketball backboard and the mounting bracket, the basketball facilities will be unavailable for use in a conventional game since all balls passing through hoop would be deflected. Furthermore, because of the defined structure of the deflection plate relative to the basketball hoop, the ball will be returned to the shooter only if the ball is shot from a location directly forwardly from the hoop. Lastly, the rigid coupling between the deflection member and the mounting plate will not provide the resiliency required to withstand the repetitive impact and forces resulting from a basketball passing through the hoop and net.
The present invention resolves those problems inherent in the devices disclosed by the prior art. The present invention basketball deflection apparatus is coupled to the basketball hoop support by a coupling which will allow the present invention to be attached or removed at will. The mounting plate for the present invention extends downwardly in parallel spaced relation to the backboard. The mounting plate is integral with an intermediate deflection panel which off-set from the plane of the backboard by a small acute angle. The intermediate deflection panel is integral with a primary deflection panel which extends downwardly and forwardly beneath the basketball net. The primary deflection panel extends laterally and forwardly beyond an imaginary cylinder defined by the basketball hoop. When combined with the movement of the basketball net resulting from a basketball passing through the hoop, the present invention will return the basketball to the approximate location from which it was shot.